Violeta Urmana News

The popular verismo double bill of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci returns to the Met beginning January 21.

Željko Lucic has withdrawn from his spring Met engagements due to illness. In his place, George Gagnidze will sing Alfio in the new production of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. Gagnidze, who will also sing Tonio in Pagliacci as originally scheduled, will join Marcelo Álvarez in performing in both halves of the evening's double bill; Álvarez sings both Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio in Pagliacci.

Verdi's Egyptian tragedy Aida, one of the most-performed operas in company history, will return to the Met stage October 30 for a 16-performance revival with rotating casts of acclaimed artists and rising stars. The initial performances will star Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska, who made a notable Met debut in the role in 2012, as Aida; Olga Borodina in one of her best-known portrayals as the jealous princess Amneris; Marcello Giordani as the war hero Radamès, a role he first sang at the Met in 2012; Željko Lu?i? in his first-ever Met performances as Amonasro, Aida's father; Ukrainian bass Dmitri Belosselskiy in his Met role debut as the high priest Ramfis; and American bass Soloman Howard in his Met debut as the King. Italian tenor Antonello Palombi will make his Met debut as Radamès on November 22.

George Gagnidze will sing the role of Amonasro in five performances of Verdi's Aida this season, replacing the originally announced Andrzej Dobber, who has withdrawn from the performances. Gagnidze will sing Amonasro on December 26 and 29 and January 2, 5, and 10 matinee.

Music Director Robert Spano will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and Chorus in a concert staging of Verdi's Aida today, June 5, 2014, at 8:00 p.m., June 7, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., and June 8, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center. This will be the ASO premiere of Aida, and these performances will mark the end of the Orchestra's 2013-14 season.

Music Director Robert Spano will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and Chorus in a concert staging of Verdi's Aida June 5, 2014, at 8:00 p.m., June 7, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., and June 8, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center. This will be the ASO premiere of Aida, and these performances will mark the end of the Orchestra's 2013-14 season.

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra welcomes back revered conductor, and former CSO Creative Director, Rafael Fru?hbeck de Burgos for his second engagement of the 2013- 14 season. Tonight, February 28 and March 1 at historic Music Hall, Maestro Fru?hbeck de Burgos will conduct one of the most epic works in orchestral and choral repertoire-Verdi's Requiem. The piece pulls together massive forces of orchestra, chorus and soloists for an impassioned and dramatic blockbuster of human emotion. Perhaps best known for the famous 'Dies irae' movement, prevalent in pop culture in movies, advertisements and television, Verdi's masterpiece depicts a journey from terror and darkness to joy and light.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2014-15 season will feature 26 operas, three of them company premieres, in six new productions and 18 revivals showcasing the talents of the world's leading singers, conductors, and theater artists. The three operas that will have their first-ever Met performances, each staged by a director making his Met debut, are John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, conducted by David Robertson and directed by Tom Morris, opening October 20; Rossini's La Donna del Lago, conducted by Michele Mariotti and directed by Paul Curran, opening February 16, 2015; and Tchaikovsky's one-act opera Iolanta, conducted by Valery Gergiev and directed by Mariusz Treli?ski. Iolanta will be presented in a double bill with a new staging of Bartok's one-act Duke Bluebeard's Castle, also conducted by Gergiev and directed by Treli?ski.

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra welcomes back revered conductor, and former CSO Creative Director, Rafael Fru?hbeck de Burgos for his second engagement of the 2013- 14 season. On February 28 and March 1 at historic Music Hall, Maestro Fru?hbeck de Burgos will conduct one of the most epic works in orchestral and choral repertoire-Verdi's Requiem. The piece pulls together massive forces of orchestra, chorus and soloists for an impassioned and dramatic blockbuster of human emotion. Perhaps best known for the famous 'Dies irae' movement, prevalent in pop culture in movies, advertisements and television, Verdi's masterpiece depicts a journey from terror and darkness to joy and light.

Civic Theatre of Allentown will present an extraordinary grand opera trio captured in performance at the famed La Scala Opera in Milan.

American soprano Latonia Moore will make her Met debut as the title character in Verdi's Aida in the March 3 matinee performance, replacing Violeta Urmana, who is ill.

Sondra Radvanovsky will make her Met role debut as the title character in Verdi's Aida on February 28, replacing Violeta Urmana, who is ill.

Verdi's grand masterpiece set in Ancient Egypt, Aida, will return to the Met February 9 with Violeta Urmana in the title role of an enslaved Ethiopian princess.

Verdi's grand masterpiece set in Ancient Egypt, Aida, will return to the Met February 9 with Violeta Urmana in the title role of an enslaved Ethiopian princess.

Marcelo Álvarez, who makes his Met role debut as Radamès in Aida this season, has withdrawn from the final three performances of the run. He will still sing Radamès on February 9, 13, 16, and 20, but then must return to Europe for eye surgery. Riccardo Massì will make his Met debut as Radamès on February 23, and Marcello Giordani adds the role to his extensive Met repertoire on February 28 and March 3 matinee. Roberto De Biasio will replace Giordani as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly on March 2.

This December, more of the world's top opera performances will be presented on medici.tv than ever before, enhancing the site's must-see schedule of live events and vintage programming.

The Paramount Center For The Arts will be showing The Bolshoi Theatre Re-Opening Gala on screen on Saturday, November 5th at 7:30 pm. The Bolshoi Grand Re-Opening Gala is a celebration of the theatre's renovation -- after six years and $750 million.

The Bolshoi Grand Re-Opening Gala is a celebration of the theatre's renovation --- after six years and $750 million.

The Bolshoi Grand Re-Opening Gala is a celebration of the theatre's renovation --- after six years and $750 million.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2011-12 season will feature the world's leading singers, conductors, and stage directors in seven new productions, including a world premiere, a Met premiere, and the first complete performances of a new Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage.